Improvement in lighting and ventilating closets



B..WILSON, Lighting and Ventilating Closets.

No. 211,645. Patented1an.2s,1s79, t

Warrefa Je i Mll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN VILSON, OF WILSONBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN 1LIGHTING AND VENTILATING CLSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,645, dated January 28, 1879; application filed December 12, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WILSON, of

- Wilsonburg, Harrison county, West Virginia,

have invented an Improvement in Lighting and Ventilating Closets, of which the following is a specification:

space beneath and in rear of the stairs by in` closing the said space so as to form a closet, such closets being convenient of access, and forming aneat finish. The principal objection to such closets'is that from their peculiar position within the building, removed from the .outer walls, they lack light and ventilation,

and are in consequence liable to dampness and the encroachments of vermin making their nests therein.

My invention consists in placing in the'risers of the stairs, which form in effect the front partition of the closet, fine wire screens, which, from their location and vertical position, permit the passage of light, and, especially if used in connection with similar screens in the rear, Will also allow free circulation of air.

In the drawings hereunto attached, and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section through closet and stairs; Fig. 2, afront view of the stairs, showing the screens in the risers. Fig. 3 shows a rear view of the closet.

In carrying out my invention, I eut in the risers of the stairs apertures of any desired size and shape, giving such apertures any ornamental configuration which taste or fancy may dictate 5 or I may use a simple frame of a size fitted to the opening beneath the front edge of the step. The opening thus made in the riser, or formed by the frame, I cover with ordinary wire-netting of suitable fineness to exclude vermin, and at the same time adapted to admit freely light and circulation of air.

These screens may be placed in any or all of the risers, as may be found most convenient, or according to the amount of light and 'ventilation required.

If desirable, the screens may be placed at the ends of the risers, leaving a space in the middle for the stair-carpeting; or they may extend from side to side, permitting part to be covered by the carpet. Such covering, while it would exclude much of the light, Would not wholly obstruct the air from lthe part so covered.

In order to further facilitate the passage of the air, I place in the door opening` into said closet other similar screens of Wire. These, when the door is placed opposite the rear of the stairs, as shown in the. drawings, allow a direct passage of air; but the door may be placed on the side of the closet with nearly the same effect.

By this arrangement closets situated as described may be rendered perfectly dry and suited to keep clothing, or other articles liable to injury, without injury, as Vthey cannot be made to do as ordinarily built heretofore in any climate subject to dampness. The screens serve the additional purpose of excluding vermin, and are not liable to be broken.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a closet of the described construction and arrangement, in which the stairs form part of the wall of the closet, the wire screens in the risers of said stairs, admitting light and air to the interior, all as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the screens in the risers of the stairs, arranged to admit light and air to the interior of the closet of which the stairs form the partition at one end, the screens inserted in the doors, all as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. BENJAMIN WILSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. 0. GLAvIs, C. W. RUSSELL. 

